1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
a shy person who finds talking to anyone but a close friend to be an awkward and unpleasant experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
the team is shy a couple of players because of illness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in notorious
not respectable
she was nervous about being left alone in a shy bar in a bad section of town
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a shy person
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shy
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 12 June 2025
Scottie Scheffler is all about golf, but he's never been shy about his love for other sports.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Steve Kopack, NBC news, 3 June 2025
Though episodes typically got laughs out of his guests and listeners alike, Maron never shied away from heavy topics or dark corners.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
And the showrunners have not been shy about their desire to keep telling stories about those characters.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 12 June 2025
Scottie Scheffler is all about golf, but he's never been shy about his love for other sports.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Verb
The food maker said Monday that customers are increasingly snatching up its condensed soups and mac-and-cheese offerings while shying away from snacks, a spending shift that partly echoes the depths of the pandemic.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 3 June 2025
Though episodes typically got laughs out of his guests and listeners alike, Maron never shied away from heavy topics or dark corners.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
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At the time, David was a bit timid around dogs and initially kept his distance.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
3 June 2025
-
In the film, Colin, a timid man is swept off his feet when Ray, an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Hayk, a withdrawn and aloof child, lives on a farm with his aunt Narine and gets mocked and called strange by others.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
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For children, especially, these stressors can quickly lead to meltdowns or withdrawn behavior.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Target’s dresses are notorious for selling out, so make sure to shop your favorites early in order to score your preferred size, color, and pattern.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2025
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Unfortunately, it’s become a notorious form of cybercrime that causes complete financial devastation for its victims.—
Jeremy H. Gottschalk,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Udoka would’ve been another strong fit, but Houston never flinched.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2025
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However, the 27-year-old right-hander barely flinched and casually walked off the field as soon as the play was over.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
One time in particular, Fisher called him out for being a bit bashful about their Star Wars fame, Hamill recounted in a new interview on NPR's Fresh Air — like any good sister would.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 June 2025
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Cher was bashful to be busted but then couldn’t help laughing out loud at the audacity.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Right now, about 18% of all iPhones are made in India — a number that was in the low single digits just a few years ago.—
Spriha Srivastava,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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But the three-time Oscar winner makes the most out of every line reading, not by going big (a near impossibility in an Anderson movie) but by setting Felicity’s fears and annoyances to a very low simmer.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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And while tariffs are likely to come up in individual sit-downs, world leaders were already aiming to avoid a public clash with Trump like the one that unfolded in the infamous 2018 photo, Lipsky said.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
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With his infamous Scud and al-Husayn ballistic missiles, Saddam’s forces would bring the war to civilians in major Iranian cities like Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, and, of course, Tehran.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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First, Musk taking on the president so publicly could further shrink the car maker’s customer base by angering Trump backers.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
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The states sued after the administration terminated over 1,000 grants and placed 85% of AmeriCorps' staff on administrative leave with the intent to terminate them effective June 24 as part of a push by Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency to shrink the federal government.—
Nate Raymond,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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